CUPUUFEBAE 273 



of an inch to an inch in length. Pistillate, flowers several (often 6 or 8), in pedun- 

 culate squamose clusters, the scales enlarging , uniting and forming the glandular- 

 hispid involucres. Nuts % an inch in length, rather wider than long. 

 ffab. Borders of thickets: frequent. FL March. Fr. Sept. 



Obs. This shrub is well known, for its fruit, which, however, ia 

 inferior to that of the preceding species. 



3. C. rostr ata, Ait. Leaves oblong-ovate, acuminate ; involucre 



contracted into a tubular beak, and extended much beyond the 



fruit. 



BEAKED CORYLUS. Dwarf Filbert. 



Stem 2 to 4 or 5 feet high, slender, branching, smoothish. Leaves 2 to 3 inches 

 long, truncate or slightly cordate at base, doubly serrate; petioles % to ^ an inch 

 in length. Pistillate flowers few (about 3), in pedunculate clusters, sometimes 

 solitary. Involucres hirsute, about 3 times as long as the fruit, the base ovoid, 

 half an inch in diameter the beak about an inch long, nearly cylindrical, sulcate- 

 striate, 2-parted half its length. 

 Hob. Along Brandy wine, near Coatesville : rare. FL April. Fr. Octo. 



Obs. This curious little species was detected in the above locality, 

 in 1841, by Mr. JOHN M'MiNN, a zealous Naturalist, then of 

 Chester, now of Centre County, Penn. % , 



376. CARPrWUS, L. 



[The ancient Classical name.] 



STAM. FL. Aments lateral, with simple ovate scale-like bracts, the 

 florets destitute of a proper calyx. Stamens about 12, at the base 

 of the bract ; anthers hairy at apex. PISTILLATE FL. in pairs, with 

 small deciduous bracts, and enlarging foliaceous halved or 1-sided 

 involucres, arranged in terminal loose ament-like racemes. Calyx 

 urceolate, the border cup-like, denticulate. Ovary 2-celled; stig- 

 mas 2, filiform. Nuts in pairs, small, ovoid, subcompressed, striate- 

 ribbed, pedicellate, each with a lateral enlarged open and leaf- 

 like involucre. Shrubs, or small trees : stems obtusely and irregularly 

 ridged, with thin smooth cinereous bark; flowers preceding the 

 leaves. 



1. C. Americana, MX. Leaves ovate-oblong, acuminate, doubly 

 serrate ; involucres 3-lobed, sub-hastate, unequally incised-dentate 

 on one side. 

 AMERICAN CARPINUS. Horn-beam. Water-Beech. 



Stem 10 to 20 feet high, often branched from the root, or growing in clusters. 

 Leaves 2 to 3 or 4 inches long ; petioles % to J^ an inch in length. Pistillate amentt 

 2 to 3 inches long, loosely imbricated, or racemose, each pair of florets subtended 

 by an ovate acuminate deciduous bract. Involucres finally about an inch long. 

 Nuts about 8-ribbed, smoothish, dark brown. 

 Hob. Margins of rivulets, and swamps: frequent. FL April. Fr. Sept. 



. OS'TRYA, Micheli. 

 [Gr. Ostreon, a shell; from a fancied resemblance in the involucres.] 

 STAM. FL. nearly as in Carpinus. PISTILLATE FL. solitary, or in 

 pairs, arranged in short slender terminal aments, with small cadu- 

 cous bracts ; each floret (or pair of florets) inclosed in a sac-like 

 involucre (composed of 2 membranous scales united by their mart 



18 



